After spending an amazing few months exploring the mecca of outdoor living in Campbell River, British Columbia, we teamed up with Destination Campbell River to shine a light on some more remote and majorly underrated spots within a few hours drive from the city. If you’re looking for clothes shopping and staying at Best Westerns then this definitely isn’t the trip for you. But if you’re game to soak in a ton of unspoiled nature and get a little muddy along the way then read on!

To make sure that you hit all the good spots, we’ve put together an easy to follow list of the highlights of this Vancouver Island Road Trip. Starting from Campbell River through Strathcona Provincial Park to Gold River, and from Gold River to Tahsis. We did the trip over the course of 3 days but there are lots of opportunities for longer hikes and more camping to make this a week-long trip.

START: CAMPBELL RIVER

Gear up with supplies for cooking and top up all of your vehicle’s fluids because services are very limited once you leave town. You also most likely won’t have cell service once you get 15-20 minutes in on the Gold River Highway (Hwy 28) so make sure you’ve got all your emails answered and accommodation arrangements (if need be) made before setting out. A Backroads Mapbook or offline map on your phone will also come in handy if you decide to veer off the main highway at all (which, needless to say, you always should).

ELK FALLS PROVINCIAL PARK

Just a few minutes after leaving town, you’ll enter into Elk Falls Provincial Park which has some great walking trails, camping, and a super cool suspension bridge. The falls themselves are a short walk from the park’s entrance and can be especially epic when the nearby hydroelectric dam is open, pushing massive amounts of water down the river. Entry to the park is free and the paid campground is open year-round.

STRATHCONA PARK LODGE

With the drop in cell service and the lack of folks around, you wouldn’t expect to find a beautifully-crafted eco-lodge hidden along a winding highway but yet, Strathcona Park Lodge exists. This lodge is rich in logging history and serves as a meeting point for outdoor adventure enthusiasts and those looking to learn more about the area. The lodge hosts everything from camps for kids to romantic getaways for couples looking to do something a little different. The lodge works hard to promote sustainable and eco-friendly living where no TV, Internet, or grid-connected electricity is to be found. Almost all of the food served in the dining hall, The Whale Room, is sourced from local farmers and fishers who are passionate about promoting a healthy and conscious lifestyle for those working and visiting.

The cabins are cozy yet modern and boast some amazing views of the mountains that hug Upper Campbell Lake. Whether you’re keen to take a kayak out for a paddle or a bike out for a ride, Strathcona Park Lodge is a great spot to really immerse yourself in Vancouver Island’s picturesque beauty.

STRATHCONA PROVINCIAL PARK: ENTRANCE

It’s obligatory to snap a photo with the huge elk marking the entrance to Strathcona Provincial Park. There are outhouses and trash cans here that make it a good pit stop before heading deeper into the park. We even took a walk down to the water for a taste of some of the amazing views to come. Similar to Elk Falls, it’s completely free to enter and explore Strathcona, but there are fees if you choose to camp at one of the park’s campgrounds or require a permit for backcountry exploring.

STRATHCONA PROVINCIAL PARK: BUTTLE LAKE

At this point in your Vancouver Island Road Trip, you’ll want to veer off of Hwy 28 and head down Westmin Mines Road to drive along the shores of Buttle Lake. Although it may seem like Upper Campbell Lake is the main drag, it is actually a man-made lake created after the construction of the Strathcona Dam in the 1950s. Buttle Lake, on the other hand, has always existed naturally but had way lower water levels before the construction of the dam and consequently, was much smaller. When water levels are low, you can see several tree stumps on the muddy shore which are some of the few remaining traces of the forest that used to stand tall pre-hydroelectric dam. Now, Buttle Lake is a popular spot for boating, swimming, and fishing and has two vehicle-accessible campgrounds. We didn’t camp here but we’ve heard that Ralph River on the south shore of the lake is definitely worth checking out.

STRATHCONA PROVINCIAL PARK: LUPIN FALLS

A short hike takes you up to a real-life enchanted forest where you’ll be surrounded by masses of old growth cedar trees blanketed in lavish green moss. Once you reach the waterfall, take a minute to soak in all the beauty surrounding you and don’t hold back from climbing up to the higher viewing area. If you’ve got an imagination, you could almost trick yourself into thinking that the tall, skinny waterfall is actually warm water and Lupin Falls would feel like a tropical oasis.

STRATHCONA PROVINCIAL PARK: KARST CREEK

Personally, when I think of sinkholes I think of seemingly bottomless cenotes in Mexico and had no idea that dissolved limestone – called karst – could create underground tunnels and a whole network of creeks below the earth’s surface – and all of this in Canada to boot! Karst Creek is a 2km trail that opens up to a “disappearing” creek, a waterfall and of course, a sinkhole. There is one section of the trail that involves crossing a riverbed that is only advisable to do only when the water levels are low. We did the trail in March and this section was almost completely dry.

STRATHCONA PROVINCIAL PARK: LOWER MYRA FALLS

If Strathcona Provincial Park has ever been on your radar, it’s probably because of Lower Myra Falls. A gorgeous limestone-carved waterfall flows freely into pools of vibrant, turquoise waters that look like a paradise out of the Caribbean. It’s a steep 15 minute walk down to the falls where you can get up close and personal with the colourful water and even cool off in it if you’re feeling brave. Needless to say, be very cautious because the rocks can be super slippery and the water flows pretty rapidly. If you’re planning a longer trip, the 6km hike to Upper Myra Falls sounds like a pretty great way to spend an afternoon.

STRATHCONA PROVINCIAL PARK: LADY FALLS

Once you’ve hit Myra Falls, you’ll need to head back on Westmin Mines Road in order to link back up with Hwy 28 and continue west. Reaching the end of Strathcona Provincial Park, the last stop to make is at Lady Falls. A popular spot due to its brisk 900m jaunt from the highway, Lady Falls are a lot more aggressive than the name may lead you to believe. Similar to Elk Falls, the roaring cascade will surround you in a cool mist that would make for the perfect way to refresh yourself on a hot day.

Because we were on a shorter trip, we stuck to mostly shorter trails and tried to jam a lot into one day. The next time we go, we definitely want to work in having the time to do the Elk River Trail and Bedwell Lake Trail because they look incredible. It’s also important to note that this is only uncovering the Buttle Lake portion of the park – there is also the Forbidden Plateau zone that’s reached from Mt. Washington and would make for its own multi-day trip.

MUCHALAT LAKE

After a long day of trails and waterfalls, we continued on the final stretch of the Gold River Highway (Hwy 28) to you guessed it, Gold River. Instead of turning into town, we headed 20 minutes north to Muchalat Lake where we’d camp for the night. This BC Recreation Area is an absolute gem; it’s $15/night to camp from May-September but free in the off-season. There are several campsites and a big boat launch and wharf that would make any afternoon on the water a blast. The views of the mountains are absolutely spectacular and make for a pretty humbling experience as you stand surrounded by old growth forest. We were lucky to only have one or two other campers there but I’d imagine this spot would be pretty popular in the summer months.

VILLAGE OF GOLD RIVER

The Village of Gold River is a small community of only 1,200 people that’s nestled amongst mountains, forest, and a plethora of lakes and rivers. Aside from a couple of gas stations and Fields, a general store, there isn’t much to the village since more and more people have been migrating to Campbell River and elsewhere after the closure of the pulp mill in the late 1990s left the town without many employment opportunities. Those that did stay have established a beautiful community surrounded by nature that is an extraordinary launching point for many hikes and outdoor adventure opportunities. Do yourself a favour and stop in at Clayworks Café for a coffee and sandwich while getting a chance to admire the handcrafted pottery made by the local artisan couple that runs the café. Again, our short visit meant that we didn’t have as much time as we’d like to explore the whole area but the next time we’re back, the first thing we’re going to do is the Antler Lake Trail. It only takes about an hour roundtrip and is a local favourite; as Neil, one of the owners of Clayworks said, “it would be a shame to come to Gold River and not do the trail.”

AIR NOOTKA

Although it’s pretty much in the direct centre of Vancouver Island, a 15 minute drive to the end of Hwy 28 opens up to an inlet with stunning mountain views and salty ocean air. At the edge of this inlet, you’ll find the dock to board the MV Uchuck III for an ocean cruise on a historic ship and the dock to board one of Air Nootka’s floatplanes. We were lucky enough to join Scott, Air Nootka’s pilot extraordinaire, on a scenic mail route and discover some remote communities on the shores of Vancouver Island’s west coast that are unreachable by road. The mail flight is a two hour journey around the area called Nootka Sound, which looks like a rugged landscape out of a movie set in the Polynesian Islands or somewhere else that is definitely not the Canada that we’ve seen anywhere else.

The waters are crystal clear and painted with a gradient of light turquoise to deep, jewel-toned blue and wash up onto white, sandy beaches lined with coniferous trees. Scott gave us a rundown on the rich First Nations history of the area and let us in on all the best surfing and hiking spots. We made two stops in Kyuquot and Zeballos to deliver mail and medical supplies after flying over a herring spawn and getting a bird’s eye view of grey whales heading in for a snack. A flight with Air Nootka is a popular voyage for hiking enthusiasts looking to embark on the Nootka Trail, a 37 km hike around Nootka Island that’s guaranteed to be rich in wildlife, scenery, and more than a few challenging obstacles. The beauty of this trail truly lies in its remoteness and solitude with how few people you will encounter along the way. Flights with Air Nootka have a variety of destination and pricing options and are best to be booked in advance.

CALA FALLS

After departing the Village of Gold River, you’ll start your 64 km journey on the Tree to Sea Drive to Tahsis. There are several viewpoints and landmarks along the way so we’ve included some of our favourites. The first stop is Cala Falls, a glorious waterfall fed from Big Baldy Mountain that’s easy to admire right from the road. The falls are only about 10 km away from Gold River and set a precursor for the outstanding amount of waterfalls you’ll continue to see along the way.

UPANA CAVES

Yes, you read that right – caves! The Upana Caves are a series of limestone and marble caves carved out by the Upana River. There are five caves to explore ranging from still-being-able-to-see-the-light-of-day to some pretty dark, tight squeezes. We visited at the beginning of spring so there was still a lot of snow and ice on the ground because the elevation is quite high but we still managed to do a little spelunking – don’t worry, we didn’t know what that word meant either until we tried our hand at exploring the caves and learned that “spelunking” is the correct term for this. It goes without saying that you must be extremely careful and mindful of your footing with the slippery rocks and jagged overhangs. We particularly liked the Resurgence Cave because it was the least claustrophobic and had some really impressive rock formations. The caves are completely free to explore and are a must-see if exploring the Gold River area.

COUGAR CREEK

British Columbia and the mid-Island region in particular are full of amazing camping opportunities in places that almost don’t even seem real. After a 40 minute detour off the main road, we came upon our new favourite campsite – ever. Cougar Creek is a provincial recreation area perched on one of the most serene and picturesque inlets that the Island has to offer. Similar to Muchalat Lake, there is a fee to camp here during the summer months but it is free in the off-season. In late March we had the entire place to ourselves and couldn’t have asked for a more spectacular spot to spend a night. The campground is a popular destination for anglers, which was made clear by the huge dock lined with fish cleaning tables and the endless waters that surrounded it. Truthfully, we had to remind ourselves that we weren’t in New Zealand as we watched the clouds clear to uncover everything from lush green mountains to rocky, snow-capped peaks. A visit to Cougar Creek is probably the most worthy detour you’ll ever make.

MOUTCHA + HEAD BAY

As you continue along the Tree to Sea Drive, the winding dirt roads and steep hills will open up to glimpses of breathtaking unspoiled nature and if you’re lucky, some pretty spectacular wildlife viewing. Just before Moutcha Bay, we got to watch a family of elk cross a riverbed while eagles flew majestically over our heads. Once you reach Moutcha and Head Bay, you’ll admire a perfectly still body of water with vibrant reflections of the peaceful trees and mountains that line the shore.

THREE SISTERS WATERFALL

This waterfall is epic – three parallel streams of crisp mountain water flow down the side of a rocky façade that looks like something out of National Geographic. The pullout for the lookout point isn’t very big but these tall waterfalls will be in view for a good portion of this section of the drive.

PRESIDENT’S TREE

This one is a bit of a sad stop. The President’s Tree or “The Big Tree” was preserved during the logging of the area done to make the road to Tahsis, which used to only be reachable by boat or plane. Dedicated to Jack Christiensen, President of the Tahsis Company, this 300+ year old Douglas Fir served as a welcome home marker to those en route to Tahsis. Sadly, the mammoth of a tree fell down last year in a storm and now remains fallen on the side of the road.

LEINER RIVER

Leiner River is a recreation area 5 minutes outside of the Village of Tahsis that is a popular destination for swimming, hiking, and camping. The campground is free to access all year round and makes for a great spot to do some tricks on the rope swing that hangs over the river. The area is very rainforest-y and links up with the Leiner River Trail. Be extra cautious of wildlife because cougars seem to enjoy this place just as much as humans.

VILLAGE OF TAHSIS

If you thought Gold River was a small community, wait until you get to Tahsis. A small fishing-oriented village of 300 people hugs the shore of the Tahsis Inlet. Yet another striking mountain view welcomes you as you roam the cherry blossom-lined streets (in the spring at least!). There is only one store in the entire village, conveniently called Tahsis Supermarket, which serves as a grocery/liquor/general store complete with a restaurant up front. We had some dynamite fish and chips and a BLT at the restaurant while chatting with some locals about the area. Seeing as we’re travelling in a van, they were quick to inform us of the recreation centre that is free to use and has a swimming pool, sauna, and even a bowling alley! For a small town, at least they’ve got their priorities covered. Being the shoulder season, we were the only tourists around but the village seems to liven up in the summer months when anglers and outdoor explorers from the US and Canada come to visit. The Westview Marina opens up in April-May with mooring, an inn, and a waterfront restaurant serving up local food and beer. Just like Gold River, the population has decreased drastically since the closure of the mill in the late 90s but the village is rebranding itself as an outdoor adventure hotspot in an absolutely gorgeous location.

Well, there you have it; an amazing journey around some of Vancouver Island’s most beautiful yet far too often overlooked locations that make for an awesome outdoorsy trip. Most people visiting – or even living on – Vancouver Island generally spend most of their time on the southern half and maybe make the pilgrimage to Tofino. The south Island is lovely but if you’re headed this way, a road trip up north of the Alberni Highway 4 is where all the true gems are. Take our word for it and ditch your list of popular spots and make the expedition to the heart of Vancouver Island!

So we finally completed the last leg of our cross-country journey that has been put on pause for the winter. If you haven’t been following along, there are a few reasons why we decided to station ourselves on Vancouver Island: firstly, we wanted to be able to stay in the van for the entire winter. That may seem obvious but the Canadian winter can be extremely harsh and living in a metal box outside can be more problematic than what it’s worth in a lot of places. You’re also spending way more time inside, which can feel a bit confining at times.

And so, in order to stay in the van we needed to be somewhere mild. Naturally, people always say “go south,” which is what we did last year and it was great but we maxed out our visitor Visas to the US so that wasn’t really an option. Vancouver Island has one of the least wintery winters in all of Canada so it certainly ticked a bunch of our boxes. Lastly, it’s just easier for us to stay put for a little while in our own country where we can freely use our bank cards, cell phones and of course, health care.

We took the ferry over to Nanaimo in late November without any real plan beyond finding some places where we could hunker down for a few months to save money on gas and devote a lot of time to working on new and ongoing projects. In the summer, we scoped out a bunch of places around Port Renfrew and Port Alberni that made for some great free camping but were so far off the beaten path that it wouldn’t be realistic to commute back and forth to town to get work done. We always thought of the northern part of the Island (“up-island” as they call it) as a place that gets snow and cold weather in the cooler months until we decided to actually Google the weather patterns. Turns out Campbell River averages being only a degree or two colder than Victoria and is virtually the same as Nanaimo and other areas of the lower island. The real draw? It’s surrounded by an astounding amount of BC Recreations Areas – 90% of which are completely free and are within a 45 minute drive from town.

Campbell River itself is a medium-sized town (population 35,138 in 2016) that virtually has everything you need from several supermarkets to a Home Depot and even a Walmart (to me it’s a small town but having a Walmart kind of negates that). We’ve managed to figure out a great set-up for showering at the local rec centre where $5.75 gives you access to a sauna, steam room and hot tub (and two indoor pools during certain hours) on top of your regular shower. There’s also a Shell truck stop with coin showers that also has a water hookup, dump station and pumps auto propane for one-stop shopping. Along with a few coffee shops, we’ve been making use of the public library, which has become a fantastic daytime office.

With our day-to-day life sorted, we’ve explored a number of the surrounding recreation areas and make it a point to uncover new ground every weekend. We’ve found one spot in particular that we joke has become our “home” since it’s only a 25 minute drive from town and is otherwise devoid of other humans during the week. The network of forest roads is incredibly complex and unveils a whole other world within the Sayward Forest. There are so many peaceful lakes and hidden gems down every bumpy, pothole-ridden turn that you take. It’s clear that this part of the island hasn’t reached the same levels of tourism that the southern island has and is still relatively under-discovered – and, in turn, very underrated.

We’re now (optimistically) half way through winter and really have been spoiled by mild temperatures and miniscule amounts of snow. This was also our second Christmas in the van but the first without family or friends. We treated ourselves by renting out an amazing Airbnb cabin in Bowser, just north of Qualicum Beach, that spoiled us with some of the creature comforts we miss from being in a traditional house. Namely, a shower, internet and an oven – vanlife has made us increasingly easier and easier to please. We relished in all the extra space and cozied up by the wood stove that made our propane furnace seem like a sub-par hairdryer. It was a nice break but we were happy to spend New Years in the van, alone in the woods, with a bottle of champagne and some cheap fireworks (again, it doesn’t take much to amuse us).

Hopefully the next couple months will continue to be kind to us and this little life that we’ve created here will allow us to make and save enough money to start planning our next adventure. We’re really hoping to make the pilgrimage to the Arctic this summer and are majorly looking forward to hitting the road again. It’s funny how we’ve become so accustomed to exploring new places every day that our brains crave the same stimulation that you just can’t get from staying in one spot. That being said, we really are spoiled with all the amazing nature around us and the possibilities of uncovering it all, piece by piece.

Check out this list of all the amazing recreation areas we’ve camped at so far and we won’t blame you for joining us in lusting over Campbell River:

• Strathcona Dam – A BC Hydro Rec Area next to the hydroelectric dam
• Burnt Beach – An amazing hidden gem on a quiet bay of Campbell Lake
• Big Bay – A classic BC rainforest that makes you feel like you’re in the jungle
• Brewster Lake – A perfect place to visit in the winter since there are no fees
• Twin Lake – The place we call home during the week
• McCreight Lake – An awesome spot closer to Sayward
• Long Point – A bigger recreation area with the biggest beach
• Gosling Bay – A sun-soaked spot nestled in the rainforest
• Gosling Lake – As close to a private lake as you’re gonna get with a price tag of free
• Mohun Lake – A small, easy access spot just off of a main logging artery

So, flashback to the summer when we spent a week in Vancouver fully embracing the stealthy habits that come with city camping. We had an awesome time relishing in city life while still having our humble abode to come home to. Now, fast-forward to November where it gets dark before 5PM and it’s just cold enough to not want to sit outside. You seek refuge in bars, restaurants and coffee shops blending in with all the other city dwellers who want to get out of the house while the dollar signs add up and your wallet starts to get thinner and thinner. Alternatively, you can sit in the van parked on a residential street trying not to make noise or run the lights or furnace – delightful. By no means are we asking for sympathy since we’re well aware that it’s been our choice to live in our vehicle and fortunately, we could live in a traditional apartment if we wanted to. We balance out these less enjoyable times with crazy adventures and a very flexible lifestyle that most people don’t have. In any case, I’m still going to proceed with sharing the hardships of city camping in the winter while you slide the bow across the world’s smallest violin.

Vancouver is an amazing place with a really nice balance of city and nature that makes for a great launch pad to the mountains, the beach and plenty of forested areas. Over the years, many people have caught on to how nice it is and consequently, a lot of people want to live there. Rental and housing prices are sky-high and there are plenty of restrictions on overnight parking yet there is a whole community of people who live in RVs and campers around the city. Very similar to Portland, we always favour parking in the Kitsilano area because the quiet streets are littered with Westfalias and no one seems to care. In the summer this was awesome because we could spend the evening at the beach or the park and only head back to the van when it was dark and we’d probably be going to bed soon anyway. Although the temperatures were still undeniably mild, it’s still not the most comfortable to sit on a cold, wet log on the beach in the dark while it rains and hovers around 0 degrees (32°F). Naturally, we didn’t want to make a racket cooking and doing the dishes so we’d spend time at bars and restaurants and end up spending more eating out than we’d like. It almost felt like part of the money we were spending on that beer or that burger was just for a place to sit and a bathroom to use. Not to mention that there are a ton of great restaurants around Vancouver that made it hard to say no…

Even trickier than the evenings was the daytime when we’d finish up a coffee shop workday early and just want to hang out at home but the van was cold and dark and the volume at which you could hear pedestrians passing by made it clear how well they could hear you too. Again, not a sob story but it was the first time we really felt out of place. Sure, we have friends around the city who we’d frequently hang out with but you can’t rely on living room-hopping every day. For once, we struggled with feeling “at home” inside of our own house and that’s certainly not a great feeling. We even ventured around pockets of North Van and Commercial Drive where somewhat derelict RVs that haven’t moved in months line the industrial streets and give a clear indication that no one’s going to bother you for sleeping in your vehicle and still just didn’t feel comfortable. So why didn’t you just leave you might ask. Well, we had some scattered plans and work-related things to do in the city while counting down the days until some friends from the east were headed to town for a couple days before catching opening day in Whistler. On that note, let’s switch gears and focus on the positive experiences we had outside of feeling like complete vagrants.

We ate a ton of delicious food and probably got our season’s worth of ramen (is there ever too much?) while getting a chance to catch up with some friends we haven’t seen in a while and don’t get to see often. We checked out Queen Elizabeth Park, which was way nicer than we could have anticipated and it also had a very van-friendly street bordering it that we called home for a few nights. We finally bit the bullet and invested in some new batteries which took a hit on the wallet but were well worth the expense. With the change in seasons and the need for more lights and more furnace, our old battery really fell short. Check out our updated solar set-up post for all the technical deets.

Finally, once our cross-country buds arrived, we had a great time hanging out and parted ways always wishing we had more time together. As our time in the city came to a close, we felt equally excited and a tad nervous to venture over to the Island and truly begin our winter. Needing steady internet and conveniences like showers and groceries in the mildest temperatures we could wrangle, we figured we’d stay around Victoria and Nanaimo and hoped that our feelings of discomfort after being in the city for so long in Vancouver wouldn’t just carry over to new streets with different names.

In the interest of engine stress on Clemie, we decided to take the Crowsnest Highway again to get from Alberta to BC. Highway 1 through Golden and Kamloops is crazy beautiful but has more tricky mountain passes and we got word that the Coquihalla between Merrit and Hope had recently had a snowstorm so bad that it had to be closed – yikes. We took it as an opportunity to find new spots along the way that we didn’t check out last time. We passed through Fernie to get to a wicked spot near Jaffray called Suzanne Lake. It’s a secluded recreation area with plenty of trees and a lake with a mountain view. Being November, it was a bit chilly but this would probably be a super cool place to swim and boat in the summertime.

BC is absolutely killin’ it with the free recreation areas. It’s so refreshing to be in a province that actually wants you to get outside and enjoy your public land. They’ve established many of these free user-maintained recreation areas that make for perfect dry camping spots and even spoil you with an outhouse. It’s wonderful how easy you are to impress when you live in an 80 sq ft van with no running water.

After squeezing in a workday in Cranbrook, we geared up for the mountain pass we had been dreading: The Salmo Pass (Kootenay Pass) between Creston and Salmo. Our engine was in much healthier shape this time around but it’s still a bit nerve wrecking when you’re going up a steep uphill for what seems like an eternity. Signs at the bottom warned of slush and snow which seemed far off in the midst of mild temperatures and a misty rain. You can feel the air temperature drop as you ascend and suddenly everything – including the road – was covered in snow. Reaching the summit was nothing short of beautiful but turned the stress onto the brakes for the way down. We always just put it into low gear and tag along with the transport trucks to play it safe and thankfully it paid off. If you’ve done this drive and can’t understand our sentiments, it’s probably because you weren’t driving a vehicle that weighs over 10 000 lbs and pulls to the right.

We made our way north of Salmo to another recreation area called Erie Creek where we came face to face with a logging truck on a narrow dirt road. We had to reverse all the way until we were in a spot with enough room for the truck to pass – as always, I was very happy Justin was driving and not me. Once we got to the spot, we had a beautiful rainforest-looking campground all to ourselves with a neighbouring creek rushing by. It then began to rain consistently until morning but hey, you can’t win ‘em all.

We kept on cookin’ through Castlegar and Osoyoos before heading to another great BC recreation area near the Similkameen River in Keremeos. The drive the next day through the Hedley-Princeton area all felt very familiar but the mountain passes that followed seemed to take us by surprise. We took the Crowsnest Highway in the summer heading east and must have blocked out of our memories how steep and winding the road is around Copper Mountain and Manning Park. Anyway, it wasn’t anything too crazy and was beautiful everywhere you looked although our poor ears didn’t know what to think with all the elevation changes.

When we reached Hope we were disappointed to hear that forest fires and rockslides had closed off access to the Skagit River area. With some hesitation after reading several cautionary tales, we headed toward Chilliwack to make our way up a mountain to a BC Hydro recreation area called Jones Lake. We heard the road was rough and required 4×4 but after doing a bit of research, it seemed like our only challenge would be the steepness. And steep it was. To access the recreation area, you have to drive 9 km (5.6 mi) up a mountain where the first 3 km is all super steep switchbacks. A little intense but all in all, not too bad on the way up. By the time we reached the lake itself (actually called Wahleach Lake), we had forgotten about the drive altogether and had to pick our jaws up off the floor from how beautiful it was. A large lake surrounded by trees and mountains would be our backyard for the night.

We spent the night on the west tract of the recreation area and saw no one but a couple of Hydro workers leaving the site in the evening. In the morning, we explored the other side of the lake and parked on a beach to have our coffee. It seems there are a handful of interesting A-frame cabins on the east side of the lake where other people put up with the steep drive to spend their summers. Having no one around made the whole place feel very surreal and made us super stoked to get to experience it. Vanlife has brought us to so many amazing places off the beaten track that we probably wouldn’t have otherwise been to.

After a magical morning of sunshine and mountains, we got ready for the somewhat dreaded drive out. Remembering how steep the way up was, we knew the downhill was going to be pretty intense. The smell of burning rubber wasn’t so distant so we tried to give the brakes a break (ha) on a couple of the plateaus within the last few km’s of the mountain. Despite being in low gear and doing all the things we were supposed to, when we got to the bottom, the brakes were straight smokin’. Yup, our brakes had caught fire while struggling to hold back a very heavy van from dive-bombing straight into the surrounding forest. We were more so laughing than stressing and gave the van a chance to cool down before going any further. Somewhat luckily, there were huge puddles everywhere so driving through them a few times helped to sizzle down the steam.

That’s probably not how most people in the area started their day but it was just another day in the life for us and didn’t stop us from thinking that Jones Lake was totally worth it. Moving right along, we made a stop in Abbotsford to gym and shower before making our way into Vancouver and officially reaching the west coast yet again. With double digit temperatures and not a flake of snow on the road, we undeniably felt relieved to have made it back across the country in one piece. The plan now is to spend a couple weeks in the Vancouver area before making the last leg of our journey for the year onto Vancouver Island. We started 2018 off in Mexico and are so lucky to have gone to all of the places that we have and not completely lost our minds (maybe just a little).

Where did we leave off? Oh right, we were on a mission to drive through the prairies as quickly as possible. Leaving Thunder Bay that morning and making a few stops along the way, we were making great progress by reaching Brandon by nightfall…that is, until we started smelling burning rubber and saw smoke coming from under the hood. Fun!

Truthfully, we haven’t had a breakdown in quite some time so we weren’t all that surprised. Naturally it was below 0 temperatures and the wind was violent when we had to pull over along the Trans Canada and check out the situation. It seemed that one of our belts had snapped, which was shitty news since we had just replaced them not long ago. Thanks to my dad’s suggestion, we kept our old belts just in case and thought we’d be in the clear by swapping the broken one out with our old one. Nope.

After several attempts to get the tension right, we realized that the unit it was wrapping around was ceased and was just continuing to smoulder and smell gross. The question now wasn’t as much about how we were going to replace this part as it was about identifying what the part even was. With no help from CAA (we’re mad at you, CAA), a kind stranger pulled over on the side of the highway asking if we were alright and offered to tow us to a nearby gas station. That’s one great thing about being in the prairies – people are super nice and everyone has a truck.

Long story short, it was an air pump (or smog pump), which is a part added in these older vehicles to help reduce emissions but virtually does nothing by today’s standards. In knowing that leaving the belt off would do nothing but increase our horsepower, we threw the broken belt in the trash can and got back on the road.

We had a nice rest area scoped out in Broadview, Saskatchewan but once we arrived well after midnight, the gate was locked and we felt a second hit of dejection. Our bodies were also very confused after driving through two time zones in one day (Sask doesn’t observe Daylight Savings Time) so we pulled into a nearby truck stop and hunkered down for the night to prepare for another long day of driving to follow. After a surprisingly quiet sleep, we got back on the highway and jetted through Regina, Swift Current and Medicine Hat before finally making it to Calgary and getting a chance to slow down for a few days and hangout with friends and family. Making the two long days of driving worth it was getting to meet Justin’s mom’s two new kittens that could put a smile even on Ebenezer Scrooge’s face.

With some major stroke of luck, we had clear skies and warm, sunny days the whole time we were in Calgary, sitting comfortable in double digit temperatures for over a week. As anyone who lives in their vehicle knows, that makes life much more pleasant for sleeping and pretty much just being alive in general. Even with the warm days, we were so bogged down with a huge workload that we spent most of our time behind our computer screens. We did, however, get to spend plenty of time with Justin’s brother’s puppy who doesn’t look like much of a puppy anymore but is still just as wild. Is it showing that I have major pet fever?

With so much time spent working, we took an overnight trip to Banff National Park to give ourselves a mini vacation and recharge a bit. If you’ve ever seen a postcard of Canada, it was probably taken in Banff. It’s Canada’s first National Park and is absolutely gorgeous from every direction. No doubt the Rockies are pretty epic the whole way down, but there’s something special about Banff. We started by driving through the foothills to Kananaskis Country and making Lake Louise our first stop. We’ve both been to Banff before but never at this time of year; October is shoulder season and is known to be the quietest month of the year. This was great news for us because the volume of tourists can often get a little out of hand when you have to time every photo just right in order to not get someone else’s family in the background.

Unfortunately the weather was a little overcast and grey but Lake Louise still glimmered with its vibrant blue-green waters. The canoes and kayaks had been put away for the season and were replaced by a bit more than a dusting of snow on the mountains and surrounding grounds. Despite the cooler temperatures and not-so-sunny skies, there were still bare shouldered brides and busloads of foreigners all checking out the Albertan staple. Moraine Lake, another photoshop-looking mountain lake, is usually the next stop but access was sadly already closed for the season.

On a whim, we decided to go on the Banff Gondola since there’s a special rate for Alberta residents (who can turn down a deal?) and we figured it’d be one of the only times where we’d actually get our own cable car and not have to wait in line. As cheap as I am (I prefer economical), this was worth paying full price for. The ride up Sulphur Mountain gave us an awesome view of the mountains but the view from the top was kind of mind blowing. There’s a fairly big building where you get off the gondola with a gift shop and restaurant and all that jazz, and the start of a 2 km (1.24 mi) walking trail – which is pretty much ALL stairs – that takes you to the Sanson’s Peak. At the summit of the mountain, you have an incredible panoramic view of the entire park and the town of Banff nestled amongst the towering peaks.

With the quick change in elevation, things got majorly cold so we were happy to return to ground level and find some good food after working up quite an appetite. Another praise to shoulder season, we were able to find free parking downtown where we could stroll around Banff Ave and the other animal-named streets without having to shimmy through hoards of tourists. We had some pretty tasty BBQ and cocktails at Park Distillery and left downtown with full bellies and lighter wallets. We headed into Canmore for the night, which is the neighbouring town outside of the National Park boundaries where a lot of people who work in Banff live (which, I might add, is like 95% Australians). We parked in a designated RV parking zone in downtown Canmore that was clearly a very popular spot for travellers and vehicle dwellers alike. We had the best time in Banff and lucked out being able to end the night within walking distance of a bar for a nightcap (or two…).

On our way back to Calgary, we stopped at Elbow Falls in Kananaskis and marvelled at how low the water levels were. Normally a pretty majestic waterfall, there was still a solid stream going but it was surrounded by dried up riverbeds that you could walk right on to. Sadly, they say the area really hasn’t been the same after the 2013 flood but in any case, it still is pretty.

Keeping our eyes on the forecast, we spent our last couple days in Alberta starting our winter prep for the van. We bought a roll of Reflectix and made insulating panels for all the windows and sealed off any gaps. We tied up some more loose ends repair-wise and very reluctantly, traded in our cassette player (it was hardly working) for a newfangled stereo. Clementine is slowly making her way into the 21^st century but still boasts plenty of 80s charm. Snow was on the ground when we left Calgary so we knew it was time to move and hopefully get as much of our mountain driving done before the weather starts to turn in BC. We had our fair share of cold weather last year in Alberta but escaped it by going south; this year, we’re staying in Canada and hoping to do everything we can to comfortably winterize. Stay tuned for a blog about winterizing tips for vanlifers – you’ll never cherish wool socks so much.

And so the journey back west commences. After getting off the very long and stressful ferry ride from Newfoundland to North Sydney, NS, we figured we would drive about halfway to St. Andrews, NB or at least call it quits whenever we burn out. We managed to “nap” briefly on the boat but an upright chair isn’t really the ideal place to get a good night’s rest. On top of barely sleeping, we arrived in port much later than we were originally set to because of the weather but were still feeling ambitious. My ambition ran out in Moncton but Justin had enough to drive us all the way to St. Andrews, where we were lucky enough to get to stay at a friend’s cabin for a few days.

The town of St. Andrews is considered to be a “historic resort town”, where east coasters and others have been vacationing for years. The buildings are old and beautifully maintained while all having lovely, unobstructed views of Passamaquoddy Bay within the Bay of Fundy and its crazy tide. The Algonquin Hotel in itself could probably be deemed its own resort town with its huge stately stature and triple-digit price tags. Being back on the mainland brought clear skies and much more comfortable temps so we were able to sit back on the patio and drink beers in the glow of the warm sun.

After going to Hopewell Rocks and experiencing first hand just how drastic the Bay of Fundy’s tide change is, we weren’t surprised to hear about Minister’s Island. It’s an island that is only accessible during low tide when cars can drive across the ocean’s floor along a sandbar (or rock bar, more like) to reach it. In the late 1800s, the former president of the Canadian Pacific Railway bought the land and decided to make it his summer home island. Everyone’s got one of those, right? You can also walk down to the bathhouse, which was essentially a series of pools created during high tide where folks relaxed and got salty.

We would have loved to go through Maine but sadly our US visitor visas are pretty well maxed out. That’s not to say that the drive through Canada wouldn’t be beautiful, but the allure of cheap gas and even cheaper beer is always quite tempting. After some much-needed Oceanside relaxing and catching up with friends, we were back on the road and heading toward the Québec border. We got word of a bad storm hitting Eastern Québec that night so we took the opportunity to get some work done at a café in Fredericton and check out the world’s longest covered bridge in Hartland. Although the title piqued our interest, this bridge wasn’t exactly something on our bucket list. That being said, it was actually pretty cool. It’s a single lane bridge that spans 391 m/1282 feet and kinda makes you feel like you’re in a secret tunnel. Maybe not what the architects intended in 1898 but who’s to say.

Westbound and down is the name of the game for the next while as we make one more stop in Toronto before heading to the west coast for the winter. We’ve had an incredible summer and have no plans of slowing down until we reach Vancouver Island.

After a relatively smooth 7-hour ferry ride, we had finally touched down in our final province, Newfoundland. Despite the moose warnings, we drove through the evening to find a good gravel pit to hunker down in for the night. If the weather wasn’t so undesirable, Newfoundland would be a vanlifer’s paradise. Hundreds of gravel pits and tons of crown land make the boondocking possibilities endless. Despite knowing that there were a lot of spots around, trying to find them in the dark isn’t always easy. One technique we use is to study the satellite view on google maps and try to find what looks like a clearing; the other half of the battle is figuring out if it’s vehicle accessible once you get to it. After some dead-end leads, we finally settled into an old mining quarry just outside of Deer Lake and caught some shuteye before continuing on our way across the island.

Our first stop was to take Clementine to Gros Morne National Park. We went to Gros Morne for the first time last year while we were still living in Toronto and searching endlessly for a van. We had a rental car and fantasized about how nice it would be if we could be doing this in our hypothetical van. Fast forward a year and here we were. It was awesome to visit again and have our home with us this time. We spent a few hours walking around Rocky Harbour and Lobster Cove before taking in the gorgeous views of The Tablelands from Norris Point. We did the Western Brook Pond Tour last year so didn’t feel the need to do it again but if you’re visiting for the first time, it’s a must. Maybe the next time we go we’ll do the hike (ambitious).

We spent our second night just outside of Terra Nova National Park at an amazing spot we found called Alexander Bay. Sometimes you take a couple blind turns on a dirt road and end up at the best places. Other times you just end up on someone’s property and you’re being chased with a shotgun (just kidding). After a peaceful night’s sleep, we made our way to Blue Hill in Terra Nova and trekked up to a pretty cool lookout point from the highest peak in the park. Had it been the spring, this would be the perfect place to check out the icebergs.

Once we got to town, we got a chance to catch up on a bunch of work and spend some quality time with family around Conception Bay South and St. John’s. We even got a personalized lesson on how to replace our brakes so we not longer have to pay quadruple the price at the shop – thanks Uncle Don!

We also got a chance to check out The Rooms, a massive museum in St. John’s that happened to be having a pretty cool Mary Pratt exhibition. We learned about Newfoundland’s role in the war, lusted over one day exploring the Torngat Mountains in Labrador and contemplated if highly detailed paintings of salmon filets were actually just grocery flyers.

One of our most important plans for our time in Newfoundland was to take Justin’s two grandmothers that still live on the island out for a trip in the van. One of them is named Clementine and played a big role in dissipating the fear in the family associated with hearing your (grand)son is leaving his apartment to drive to Mexico in a van older than he is – hence the name of our van. Anyway, we decided to take them to Cape Spear, which is the easternmost point in all of North America. As a surprise to no one, it was crazy windy and didn’t exactly make for perfect picnic weather so we drove along to Petty Harbour where we had some lunch and warmed up a bit. I’d say give it a year and the Nans will have their own van ;).

On our last weekend in the province, we spent the day with Justin’s dad and stepmom going on a little Avalon Peninsula roadtrip. We made our way to the lovely seaside town of Brigus and admired the quintessential colourful houses perched upon rocky hills despite the rain and heavy fog that the locals are oh so familiar with. We checked out the first English settlement in Canada in Cupids before having lunch in a super rad old building in Carbonear.

The standout, however, was a tasting at The Newfoundland Distillery in Clarke’s Beach. They put themselves on the map with their seaweed gin but blew us out of the water with all six of their craft sprits. Using all local ingredients, from juniper to bake apples (cloud berries), all of their spirits were delicious and along with their charcuterie options and beautiful branding, it made for a pretty great afternoon. No, we don’t own shares in the business, we just really, really enjoyed it.

After spending our last days eating fresh cod and pulled moose (yes, moose), we squeezed in lots of family time before saying our goodbyes and making our way off of the remote island that Justin calls home. Newfoundland is a pretty special place to visit and is full of unexpected surprises and some hilarious town names. We didn’t get a chance to go this time around, but we’ll certainly add getting a beer at the Dildo Brewery to our list for next time. After doing some calculations on the extortionate amount of money we spent on gas getting across the island (gas ain’t cheap in NL – especially for guzzler like Clemie), we decided that it would save us time and money to take the Argentia Ferry back to Nova Scotia. If you’re unfamiliar with the NL ferries, you can either take the Port aux Basques ferry for 7 hours and drive about 9 to get to St. John’s, or you can take the Argentia ferry, which is only over an hour’s drive from town but boasts a 16 hour boat ride – on a good day. The catch is that the long Argentia ferry only operates in the summer so we were lucky enough to book the last ferry of the season (September 22 in this case). We decided that we’d drive down the night before and spend the night at Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Seabird Reserve before catching the ferry the next day. Unfortunately, this was a bit of a bust. First, most of the birds had already started their journeys out of the cold so the stars of the show were majorly lacking. Second, it was terribly cold and windy and there was a storm brewing on the horizon – perfect for a sail! Not.

And so the Argentia ferry saga begins. We received multiple storm warnings and weather alerts and were notified by Marine Atlantic that our ferry departure would be delayed a few hours until the waters calm down but we were still to be there at the original check-in time. No big deal, it was an overnight ferry anyway, right? Long story short, a 16 hour ferry ride turned into a 23 hour journey with 5 metre (16.5’) waves and hoards of water splashing over the front of the boat. These weren’t rock-you-to-sleep waves, these were startle-you-in-the-middle-of-your-sleep-cause-you-might-die waves. Ok, I never thought we were going to die but it sure was disconcerting to be woken up to the sound of a rogue wave crashing into the side of the boat. Aside from that, the boat itself was pretty swanky and felt more like a Vegas hotel than a commuter ferry. Being cheap and booking last minute meant that we didn’t get a room so we made ourselves at home in some comfy recliners and “enjoyed” the ride. The boat was massive and had all the essentials on board: an arcade/casino, a buffet, multiple restaurants and lounges and even a designated rum bar. Got 16 hours to kill, might as well spend it drinking and gambling, right?

Once we got closer to Nova Scotia, the water calmed, the sun came out and all was well. We docked without a hitch and were super stoked to hop in the van and be on land again. Exploring Newfoundland was a huge milestone for us and marked a complete cross-country roadtrip across Canada. I think people are more surprised by the fact that Clemie has made it to more cities than most people since she’s no spring chicken. Sure, we’ve spent a lot of money on gas but for the places we’ve been able to go, it’s beyond worth it. As the weather is starting turn, it’s time to start heading west in hopes that we won’t get our fair share of snow like we got buried in at this time last year.

Although it’s been up for debate and later concluded that John Cabot did not, in fact, make his first Canadian land break on Cape Breton Island, the province still loves to name things after him while embracing an increasingly prevalent Scottish heritage. Why bother fact checking when the place is this beautiful?!

After crossing the causeway in the AM, we decided to do the Cabot Trail counterclockwise and start off heading from Baddeck to Ingonish. The few mountain lookout points were lovely, but just weren’t as spectacular as the photos and magazines lead us to believe. As usual, we took our time and stopped at just about every vista point where we soaked in the sun and questioned if we were really in Canada. By the time we reached Pleasant Bay, we finally got to see what all the hype was about. The Western part of the island put all the magazines and postcards to shame – it was even more beautiful than we had imagined. If you’ve ever seen photos of the coasts of Ireland and Scotland and thought you’d never get a chance to see them in person, just hop on a plane to Nova Scotia instead!

We stopped at La Bloc Beach within the Cape Breton Highlands National Park for some lunch where we had an amazing view of the cliffs and a constant battle with the wind. There’s something pretty amazing about a place that is so rugged and powerful making you feel so peaceful and calm. You really need to take a minute to admire the natural beauty of the area and rejoice that it’s protected land.

As we finished the loop, we drove through some of the small towns outside of the National Park, like Chéticamp, and thought about how amazing it would be to wake up to that view every morning. Luckily for us, we can wake up to a different view every morning and have the freedom to abandon ship when the weather is bad. We stopped in Belle Côte for some fish and chips and set out to find a sleeping spot for the night. We had stopped at a lookout point not far from the restaurant that gave us a glorious view of the winding coastline but decided to seek out a spot that was a little more sheltered from the emerging winds. We kept on through Mabou, where we found a nice riverside spot right across from the harbour.

After a good night’s sleep, we headed toward Port Hood where we’d be meeting with a friend’s mom in Judique. One of the best parts about travelling is phoning in all of the local connections you’ve got around the country. It’s so nice to catch up with family and friends and be shown around by a local. In this case, we got to experience East Coast hospitality at its finest by being taken sea kayaking from someone we had never even met before. The gesture for people to open up their homes and their schedules to share their town with you is pretty special.

While Justin had some kayaking experience, I had never been in one before so we took a casual cruise around the ocean-fed pond where we skimmed over thousands of fresh mussels and oysters. Just like in PEI, we scooped them right out of the water and ate some of the freshest oysters around, #spoiled. After a lovely day on the water, the eastern hospitality continued with a delicious home-cooked meal and an apple crumble made from apples as local as they get – hand picked right from the backyard. With our bellies full and an early morning reservation looming, we packed up and set out for North Sydney, where we’d be taking the ferry to Newfoundland the next morning.

With everything from white sand beaches to a roaring rocky coastline, Nova Scotia slid right into my favourite provinces list pretty quick. The East Coast of Canada in general is super underrated and is somewhere every Canadian and tourist alike should add to their itinerary. Next stop is Justin’s homeland where we go just about as remote as it gets with a 7 hour boat ride as our next commute.

After departing PEI, we were on a new mission to collect a very special antique from a family member in southern Nova Scotia. It was a 150+ year old spinning wheel used by Justin’s grandmother and great-grandmother for years to make yarn. We made our way down to Hubbards to see it, but not before grabbing a bite of donair on the outer rings of Halifax. If you’re American, you probably don’t know what I’m talking about but Halifax donairs are pretty famous and boast a wrap-sandwich-thing like no other – especially in the realm of drunk food. The secret is in the sauce, which has condensed milk in it, giving it a sweet taste as opposed to the usual heavy garlic of a shawarma or gyro. If you’re in Halifax, it’s practically your duty to at least try one. That being said, they’re not my favourite (womp womp woooomp) but at least I did my due diligence as a tourist. Also, do yourself a favour and tie up your hair before eating one – sauce in the hair is inevitable, no matter how proper you are.

Saucy hair in tow, we made our way down to Hubbards, about half an hour outside of Halifax to meet up with Justin’s first cousin once removed (we spent way too long studying cousin charts to learn that that’s what your dad’s first cousin is to you to not use the term). We drove by some pretty gorgeous sandy beaches like Queensland Beach that made us question if we were in Nova Scotia or Florida. Seriously, these beaches were very different than the usual rugged and rocky coastal beaches. Another interesting thing is that although these are ocean beaches, most have a freshwater lake beside them. Pretty cool. Once we got to Hubbards, we disassembled the spinning wheels and realized just how big it was; the wheel itself was about the size of our bed. Luckily we didn’t have to transport it all that far.

The East Coast hospitality continued as we spent the evening drinking beers on a private beach while the sun was setting and enjoying the last couple weeks of summer. We woke up the next day and checked out Hubbards’ farmers market that was filled with an interesting mix of people of all ages. Although not a place we had ever even heard of, we totally understood why Justin’s first cousin once removed (sorry, had to) has spent 20 years there. A small enough town for everyone to know your name but still with unique events going on all the time.

After leaving the market, we drove through more beautiful seaside towns like Chester and Mahone Bay that made us lust over south shore Nova Scotia. Sid, Justin’s dad’s cousin, took us to Lunenburg, which is a town out of a postcard. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site and played a big role in Nova Scotia’s history. It’s now the home to the Bluenose II schooner that was unfortunately out at sea the day we were on the wharf. The town is full of colourful buildings and amazing boats from all over, really similar to the coastal towns of Scandinavia in Sweden and Denmark. We walked around all the hills, popping in and out of cute little shops and eventually having a bowl of chowder while overlooking the ocean. Does life get any better than this?!

After another open-ended goodbye, we set out to Peggy’s Cove to see one of Nova Scotia’s most iconic sites. Driving along more of the south shore was absolutely breathtaking and made for some pretty spectacular scenery. The views didn’t stop when we got up to the lighthouse where the rocks turn into smooth almost white boulders and the land opens up to beautiful, open coastline.

As the sun started to set, we did our best to avoid moose on the road by boogying through Truro and New Glasgow to a gravel pit not far from Antigonish. Here we were close to the causeway to cross onto Cape Breton Island the next morning and do the Cabot Trail. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to visit downtown Halifax but seeing how much we enjoyed the south shore, I’m sure we’ll be back again.

There’s no better way to be welcomed onto PEI than by having two fresh lobsters on your plate within minutes of arriving. After crossing the Confederation Bridge, we headed through Summerside toward Tyne Valley where Justin’s friend had recently moved and was living with some top-notch PEI’ers. People talk about Southern hospitality but East Coast hospitality is where it’s at. Along with fresh lobsters, we were also spoiled with the freshest oysters out there: hand-picked from a private lease of ocean just minutes from home.

From living in Toronto so long, we know that PEI oysters are the crème-de-la-crème and come with a crème-de-la-crème price tag to match. At the last bar that I worked at, we charged $18 for a half-dozen raw oysters – that’s $3 per oyster. Out on the fishing boats, our friend’s dad sells a case of 400 for $100 – $0.25 a piece! They were flabbergasted to hear that PEI oysters, specifically Malpeques, were seen as such a delicacy and were equally grossed out to hear that we enjoyed eating them raw. On the mainland, we always think that people on the east coast practically eat raw oysters for breakfast but we soon learned that most of the locals wouldn’t even give you a thank you for a platter of them.

As plentiful as the seafood was, the only thing that was even more abundant was the obscene amount of mosquitoes. After being deep in the woods in Northern Ontario and around plenty of ponds and bogs in other places, PEI easily took the crown for the most bugs. While shooing away hoards of skeeters, we went to a quintessential red sand beach and enjoyed PEI’s beautiful, undeveloped coastline. I had heard that Cavendish is a cool spot to visit but was quickly corrected that it’s really no different than any other beach on the island aside from the fact that it’s littered with shops and food stands, AKA it’s a tourist trap. We were so grateful to get the inside scoop from locals and be taken around to some much more authentic places.

After the beach, we went to the wharf to watch the lobster boats come in and unload the fruits of their labour. It’s funny to see how different people’s daily lives are and see your own job from a different perspective; Justin and I are sat behind computers all day building websites and making graphics while others are out battling the sea. Anyway, we had some local grub called “fries with the works”, which is like a PEI poutine: fries with gravy, green peas and ground beef. That might not sound all that appetizing but it was actually super tasty and filled our bellies before a boat ride out in the ocean. We went for a cruise and even got to collect oysters and bar clams in the shallow waters. We indulged in a spectrum of bar clams by eating them raw, bottled and steamed – all delicious but I think steamed was my favourite.

After leaving the Tyne Valley area, we drove the loop of the island, which barely took a couple hours. It’s a beautiful place and is filled with prosperous farms and exceptionally well-manicured lawns; you can tell that the folks take great pride in their farms and it’s nice to see. We popped into Charlottetown for a little while and drove around the island’s capital city. It’s definitely the most densely occupied area of the province but still maintains a small town vibe with a lot of character and charm. We were originally going to take the ferry from Wood Islands to Nova Scotia but decided to stick with the bridge to save a bit of time. If you didn’t know (I didn’t), it’s free to get to PEI whether you take the bridge or the ferry, but leaving the island comes at a price. Driving across the bridge into New Brunswick costs $47 and the ferry to Caribou, Nova Scotia is $78. Just a word to the wise so you don’t go blowing all your money on lobster and potatoes and end up having to live on the island since you don’t have the 50 bucks to get off.

With Atlantic province #2 off of our list, we were Nova Scotia bound and ready to keep exploring. This would be Clemie’s second last province to conquer and my last while Justin had practically rode in with the Bluenose. Onward!